Hand-Painted Fans, English Roses and Puffball Dresses – Our July Hotlist Has Come Over All Quaint

9 beautiful buys to make summer that little bit more joyful

Words Cecilia Mezzi

The English Rose, Luke Stephenson

Luke Stephenson is a photographer renowned for directing his lens at British singularities, and with his last project – the most British of them all – he’s created these stunning portraits of English roses. To capture these wonderful blooms he worked, over the course of two summers, with David Austin Roses: the most renowned grower of English roses. This little book displays 65 stunning varieties, showing the inner beauty of this symbolic flower. £15.

Keep your cool this summer with one of Khu Khu’s luxury fans, handmade in the chicest pastel colourways of the season. Inspired by the stamps and seals used in traditional communications, this collection uses layered screen-prints to decorate the high-grade cotton fabric in exclusive Pantone shades. £33.

This unique handmade apron should be worn while bossing the summer grill. Available in indigo or black, and tied with leather straps, it’s made from tough 10oz denim and will last a lifetime. The ideal blend of style and practicality – and it’s sure to endure all manner of greasy splutterings from the BBQ. £75.

This RIXO exclusive and limited edition is made from 100% linen cotton to keep you cool in (hypothetical) sweltering temperatures. With a round neckline, button down design and puff-ball cap sleeves and a cinched-in waist, the Christy cut is deeply feminine and playful. Style with a couple of oversized hair clips – a favourite this season – and some kitsch gold earrings. £195.

The folks at Girlfriend Collective curate every part of their production process, from raw materials to facilities and partners, with care. Every bra from the collection helps remove 1 lb of waste from the oceans, and donates a percentage of sales to Healthy Seas. But the designs are also deeply flattering, designed to endure, and available in a variety of gorgeous on-trend colourways. The Lola Bra, a v-neck sports bra made from recycled fishing nets, is a true hero piece, designed for medium-impact activities like pilates and cycling. $48.

To celebrate the London Pride Parade on Saturday July 6, we recommend this page-turning read by Amelia Abraham, who investigates what being queer in 2019 means in such a contradictory society. With curiosity, good humour and disarming openness, Amelia takes the reader on a thought-provoking and entertaining journey. Join her as she cries at the first same-sex marriage in Britain, loses herself in the world’s biggest drag convention in L.A., visits both a transgender model agency and the Anti-Violence Project in New York, parties in the clubs of Turkey’s underground LGBTQ+ scene, and meets a genderless family in progressive Stockholm. £11.99.

Made with algae extracts gathered from the Atlantic coast of Ireland, this heavenly balm cleanser by family-owned beauty brand VOYA is crammed with sweet-smelling almond rose oils, beeswax, ylang ylang and bergamot. Gentle on skin yet thoroughly effective in its removal of impurities, it comes with an organic muslin facial cloth to help rinse the day away, revealing a supple, fresh complexion. 100ml, £40.

Not all make up brushes are created equal. Made out of recycled plastic and aluminium, with 100% recyclable packaging, the Ei8ht brush from Kohl Kreatives aims to close the infinite manufacturing loop. Its clever square edged design means it won’t roll off your dressing table, and super soft PETA approved synthetic bristles make applying eyeshadow fool proof. The brand itself is not-for-profit, investing all proceeds in their charity Kohl Kares, providing free make up workshops for cancer patients, transitioning transgender people, and those with motor disabilities. £8.99 from Birchbox.

Striking the balance between sporty and sophisticated, the Conquest Moonphase is a 1954 design classic that works for the modern woman. Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass, a stainless steel case, and water resistance to 30 bar (300m) make it robust for everyday wear, while it’s chic black laquer, matte white, or sunray silver dial and captivating moonphase design make it a piece to cherish forever. It’s a lot of watch for the price. £620.